Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bleach in any way! All copyrights go to Tite Kubo.
Author's Note: Yes, another update for this story! Special thanks goes to my wonderful reviewers: tlg, Samantha, icyangel27, applestoapples, Neko-cheung, KnowledgeandImagination, Kaye. Shirogane, lil'sayuri-chan, HyourinmaruIce, athfdrizzle, redpandagirl, k a y - t h i. Without any further delay, here is chapter eight. Enjoy!
LEGEND
"Talking." "Thinking."
The Next Greatest Treasure
Chapter Eight: Ready and Action
The weather is foggy during this time of day. Then again, it is only six o'clock in the morning. The sun has only begun to rise up from the horizon. "You guys didn't have to wake up to send me off," Hitsugaya said to the Trio Knights, Ichimaru, and Matsumoto, who caught him about to leave the front gate of the palace. "Besides, you all need your sleep."
"And that's coming from someone who is supposed to staying in bed right now," Gin replied with a grin.
Toshiro glared at the gray haired captain, but soon turned to Rangiku, who is smiling at him. "Well, you're all dressed in your thief attire. All you need to do now is pick up some additional weapons at the usual place."
"Yeah, I suppose," he replied, looking at himself. He is wearing a black kimono which is tied together with a black sash. Also supporting onto his sash are his black bandanna and mouth mask. He also wore a pair of black fingerless gloves, and black tabi (ninja shoes). To finish his outfit, he wore black hooded cloak over his clothes and his trademark long sword and sheath tied onto his back and right shoulder with his green sash. "After that, I'm going to find Momo and the thieves who stole her at the border of Rukongai."
"Be careful out there," Kira said.
"Be sure to come back alive with her," Renji added.
"Take care of yourself Hitsugaya-taicho," Hisagi encouraged.
"Thank you, I'll make sure Momo comes back safely with me," Toshiro replied. "In the meantime, be sure to look after Princess Higashi and Nagara in case anything happens."
With nods of agreement from his fellow guards and friends, Matsumoto and the Trio Knights said in unison, "Yes sir!"
He then turned to Ichimaru. With a single nod, the older captain knew what he wants him to do: keep an eye on the princess and her bodyguard. "Have a safe trip, Hitsugaya-kun."
With that said, the returned notorious thief turned around, got on his black horse beside him, and replied his farewell to his allies, "Ja ne..."
He kicked on the horse's side and pulled on its reigns, commanding it to run. The horse leaned back on its hind legs and let out a neigh. Once it landed on its four feet again, it ran through the palace gates and into the land of Seireitei and Rukongai with Hitsugaya riding on its back. For a short while, the others watched him until they are unable to through the thick cloud of morning haze.
"There he goes," Izuru said.
"The rest is up to him whether he saves her or not," Hisagi added.
"Let's just hope he does," Renji further commented.
"Hey, you're talking about the notorious thief, Aisu no Ryu," Matsumoto said. "He is the same person who have caused you all so much trouble over the last three years. He's a professional when it comes to stealing. Despite the six month hiatus, I'm sure he still has what it takes to save Hinamori without much difficulty."
Kira and Hisagi let out sighs of defeat. One of them said, "Let's just hope so."
By the time Toshiro arrived at his destination, he got off his horse and tied the reigns onto a nearby post. After petting his animal companion, he looked up into the sky to see the sun is already high up in the partly cloudy sky. "It looks like another set of snow precipitation is about to fall on the land," he said. "I better get everything ready before it comes."
The white haired teenager then took a look at the house shop standing in front of him.
"He better be here or else I'm going to have to resort to borrowing his items without permission again."
With that said, Hitsugaya went inside the home. "Welcome to the shop," greeted the dirty blond haired shop owner, who opened his hand fan to cool himself. "How may I help you today?"
"Cut with the polite greetings Urahara," Toshiro retorted. "It's only me."
Urahara Kisuke adjusted the position of his white and green stripped hat and leaned over to take a closer look at the familiar face. All of a sudden, he closed his hand fan and gently hit its side with the palm of his free hand. "Well well, look what we have here? It has been a while since I last saw you, Hitsugaya."
"Yes, it has been a while. I can see that you're doing well these days."
"Of course and it's all thanks to what you and your girlfriend have done for us over the past six months. So, what brings you here all dressed up as Aisu no Ryu?"
"I'm here to pick up a few weapons for my journey to the outskirts of Rukongai," the white haired captain replied while walking to the side of the room to take a look at some of the weaponry. "I need to steal back my princess from the thieves who live there."
"Oh, she was kidnapped," Kisuke said. "That's unfortunate."
"Even if it is that way, he has decided to risk his life to save his love," said a female voice entering the room with the two males. The dark skinned woman with violet hair and yellow cat-like eyes stood next to Urahara and smirked at the white haired teenager. "Isn't that right, little Toshiro?"
Hitsugaya's eyes narrowed at the woman. "I can see that you're still hanging around these parts, Shihoin."
Yoruichi wrapped her arms around her waist and replied, "Actually, I just returned from my little adventure around Seireitei and Rukongai."
"So you were following me this whole time."
She grinned. "Of course."
Toshiro let out a small hiss and turned his head to the side. "How expected of the Goddess of Flash to be an expert in stalking people."
"Is that how you compliment a person who has spent her precious time to teach you all the acrobatic techniques and hand to hand combat skills you are now capable of doing without breaking a sweat?"
Her sudden dangerous grin has signaled the teenager to back off or else things could get ugly between them. Besides, he is well aware that she's a professional at assassination. "No, not at all. Please excuse my rude behaviour."
"You're easily forgiven."
"Well Hitsugaya, you can have all the weapons you like free of charge," Urahara said.
"Are you sure about that?" Hitsugaya asked the older male.
He nodded with agreement. "Most definitely; consider it as a special service for the future King of Seireitei."
Toshiro suddenly let out a short snort. "King of Seireitei? Geez, I don't think I'm ever going to get used to being addressed that way once I get married to Momo."
Kisuke smiled back. "Choose wisely now; the best weapon are the ones which can save your life and those who you want to protect."
"Good morning everyone," Princess Ume greeted upon entering the throne room to find Kira, Hisagi, Renji, Matsumoto, and Captain Ichimaru present. "Oh, where's Captain Hitsugaya?"
"He left the palace to rescue Hinamori-chan," Gin replied.
"Oh my, he went off on his own?"
"Yes, he did."
"Isn't it dangerous for him to be out there on his own?" Higashi asked with concern. "Besides, there are many kinds of bad people out there like assassins, beggars, rappers, and thieves. Any one of them could have gotten to him while he's searching for Momo."
"Don't worry; he'll be alright," Matsumoto said. "Besides, he's been raised and was trained in Rukongai to be a strong swordsman. He doesn't really need our help."
"No kidding," Kira thought.
"He definitely doesn't need our assistance," Renji mentally said.
"We're talking about Aisu no Ryu here," Hisagi thought.
"Are you sure about that?" Ume asked.
Rangiku gave her a thumb up. "I'm positive."
"By the way, where's Nagara-kun?" Kira questioned.
"Oh, he's in my room finishing up his progress report. He needs to send it to my mother by the end of the day."
"I see."
"I'll go check on him," Ichimaru said while leisurely walking towards the door. "Besides, I think now is a good time for us to do some male bonding of similar occupations."
"The way he says that makes things sound so wrong," Abarai whispered to his fellow Trio Knight members, who both nodded with agreement.
"I totally heard that you guys," Gin said with his trademark grin. "Be careful what you say or else karma is going to bite you in the butt."
Once the older captain of the Royal Guard has left the room, Renji said, "How scary he can be?"
"Who knows..." Shuhei said.
"Let's go princess, it's time for us to fill our stomachs with a delicious breakfast," Rangiku said happily while ushering Ume to come with her to the dining room.
"Okay," she replied.
Koji opened the large window in Princess Ume's room and released his messenger pigeon to fly in the sky. With his written message to the Queen in the Higashi Region attached to the bird, his part is done for now. "If things go well like they're supposed to, then it's only a matter of time..."
"Only a matter of time until what?" asked a voice.
Nagara turned around and jumped to see the gray haired teenager in his presence. "Ichimaru, what are you doing here?"
"I came to tell you that breakfast is ready."
"I see; I'll be downstairs in a minute."
"Very well, I shall go inform the others," Gin said while leaving the room. Once he stepped out and almost closed the door, the sly captain leaned against the nearby wall and quietly eavesdropped on the lone conversation spoken by Nagara Koji.
"Things are not going to be easy from here on out," he said. "These people are smarter than they look despite them just being a bunch of teenagers."
Ichimaru grinned before walking off deep into the hallway. "Just as we suspected, all we need now is proper proof to present to Hinamori-chan. It's time to draw out Hi no Tori into the great outdoors."
Hitsugaya loosened the reigns and got on his horse while his comrades, Urahara and Yoruichi going outside of the shop to bid him farewell. "Are you sure you got everything you needed?" the white and green stripped hat shop owner asked.
The horse let out a snort while the white haired thief replied, "Yes, I got everything I needed for my journey. Thanks again for helping me out."
"It's no problem," the violet haired woman said. "You better save her or else you'll never get laid."
Suddenly, the pink faced Captain of the Royal Guard shot her an embarrassed look. He exclaimed, "Oi Shihoin!"
Yoruichi placed her hands on her hips and laughed out loud. "I'm only messing with you, little Toshiro. You're always so funny dealing with romance. You never seem to know what you're supposed to do in a relationship."
"Isn't that obvious?" He turned his head to the side and mumbled, "I don't want to do something that can potentially hurt Momo..."
"Anyway, enough wasting time with us, you have a long way to get to the outskirts of Rukongai. It takes half a day to get there by horse."
"Plus, you're going to be crossing by quite a few obstacles along the way such as assassins, thieves, and rapiers," Urahara pointed out.
"Those people are the least of my worries. All I care about is Momo's safety," Hitsugaya said. "If any of those bastards dare touch her in any way, I'll kill them."
Kisuke whistled. "I almost feel sorry for the thieves."
"Don't be sorry for them; they deserve their rightful punishment."
"See you soon," Yoruichi said as she and her companion watched him put on his bandanna over his forehead and tie it together behind his head.
"Bye Aisu no Ryu, see you some other time," Urahara added as Toshiro fixed his snowy white hair so that it is well hidden under the black cloth. Then, he put on his mask over his mouth and tied it behind the back of his neck as well.
After putting on his cloak hood over his head, he said his final words to them, "Ja ne."
With a tight pull on the reigns, the horse let out a neigh before it was commanded to run in the eastern direction. After what felt so long, Hitsugaya is finally going to save his princess.
"Hang on Momo, I'm coming."
Hinamori stirred in her sleep before her eyes fluttered open. Seeing that her vision is unclear, she wondered, "Where...am I?"
All of a sudden, she heard the sound of glass breaking. Her chocolate brown eyes shot open on high alert. As she scanned the room around her, she concluded she is in some sort of hideout.
"I must have been kidnapped," she concluded. "I better get out of here and find the others."
Just as she is about to move around, she realized that something is holding her back. Her arms are handcuffed together with a long chain attached.
"Mou, what should I do now?"
Then, she heard loud noises from the room next door. Cautiously, the raven haired girl sat up from her seat and walked toward the closed door. Taking a peek through the small window, she saw a large group of thieves and bandits having fun drinking and eating with one another.
Momo let out a sigh of defeat. "Escaping from this place is not going to be easy. I better come up with something fast or else who knows what can happen to me."
References
Taicho - Captain, Ja ne - Good Bye (informal/casual), Aisu no Ryu - Ice Dragon; Hitsugaya's codename as the notorious thief
Author's Note: And there goes Hitsugaya to the rescue! How will he fair against the thieves of outer Rukongai? What will happen in the Hinamori Palace in the meantime? Well, you're just going to have to wait and find out in my next update. In the meantime, please review! Thanks.